Don’t Go Chasin’ Waterfalls: The Best Walk in the World and the TruthAbout New Zealand

Don’t Go Chasin’ Waterfalls: The Best Walk in the World and the Truth About New Zealand

climbing Mackinnon Pass, Milford Track, New Zealand

New Zealand is touted as an outdoor adventurer’s paradise.  Thousands of miles of lush wilderness, offering ocean views, rolling green hills, glaciers, volcanoes, with Lord of the Rings Epic landscapes abounding. There are thousands of outdoor adventures to choose from.

The Milford Track is touted as the best. Not just the best in New Zealand. The best in the world. So, once I knew of it, I had to get permits. The plan starts a year before, submitting applications for permits during the first minutes applications are accepted, calculating the actual time for submission from the clock on the other side of the world. We had our permits for the second week in January 2017 booked before I had the time off work, plane tickets, or any other accommodations. 

The Milford Track starts on the shore of Lake Te Anau on the Southwest side of the south island of New Zealand and ends in Milford Sound. The region is know as Fiordland. There are glaciated granite ridges, cascading countless waterfalls to forested valleys below. The landscape is truly breathtaking, without argument. It was amazing, but all those waterfalls come at a cost.

 When we picked up our permits, the woman at the permit office told us that we would need pack liners, not just pack covers to manage the onslaught. I’m glad she informed us, as packliners, not packcovers, are the only way to keep your gear dry in this environment.

It rained over three feet of precipitation during our three day backpack.  No, that is not a typo- it was over three feet of rain in three days, as in 36 inches plus. The wind peaked at up to 120 kph on the ridges

Sutherland Falls, a side trip on the Milford Track 

With a total drop of over 1,900 feet, Sutherland Falls ranks among the world's highest. The horizontal blast at the base was unapproachable from over 100 feet away due to the sheer power of the blast of water at the base.  

We waded through water. We learned that all rainwear eventually fails. We encountered alpine parrots. We walked past thousands of nameless waterfalls, and a few named ones which hold high status as some of the largest and tallest in the world. We were primarily wet, cold, and mostly miserable.

Beautiful as it may be, I have never been in a more uninviting montane environment. In total, we traveled over 130 miles on foot in the backcountry across both islands of of New Zealand during our three weeks there.  I would never deny the moments of absolute grandeur. We planned our trip to take place during the warmest, driest, calmest summer months. Yet, I have never experienced such relentless wind, such unending rain, such soul sucking chill. It is not for convenience that the government of New Zealand provides backcountry huts for you to sleep in. It is so you won’t die. I have never been so mentally broken by anything. Not the High Sierra during a violent monsoon hailstorm. Not the Canadian Rockies during a brutal 10 day cold front. For the minute by minute experience in the backcountry, give me the American West. 

Going to New Zealand anyway? Might I suggest you bring the very best rainwear you can find, and plan to enjoy the scenery the sensible way- mostly through the windshield of your car. Should you still decide to do the Milford Track, I would make one suggestion- bring an extra two days worth of food with you. when the rain really comes down, the whole valley turns into a huge river, making the trail impassible. If this happens, the food will come in handy, as you will need something to eat during those days you have to wait for the water to subside. Still though, I am thankful we could visit such a beautiful place. The conditions which have made it such promise to ensure that it remains that way.